Content warning: This article contains information relating to sexual assault which some readers may find distressing.
Multiple techno events and festivals have dropped DJs from their line-ups amidst mounting allegations of misconduct, including reports of alleged sexual assault.
In recent days, event brands including Verknipt, World Club Dome, Open Beatz, Airbeat One, Teletech and Doof Music have confirmed the removal of several hard techno DJs from forthcoming line-ups, including Shlømo, Carv, Basswell and Odymel.
In statements shared on social media, event organisers have cited “serious allegations” relating to the DJs in question, which have circulated widely online during the past week.
In an official statement shared to its Instagram stories, Verknipt wrote: “We are aware of the recent developments and allegations involving certain artists in the industry and take these extremely seriously. In light of this, we have decided that Basswell, Carv, and Shlømo will no longer perform at our upcoming shows.”
In a statement issued on Saturday 21st February, Indian event promoter Subvolt cancelled an event scheduled for the following day with French techno DJ and Taapion label boss Shlømo. As DJ Mag Germany reports, on Monday 23rd February, Das Zimmer Mannheim officially cancelled an appearance from German DJ Carv, while Chile’s Respira Festival issued a statement cancelling appearances from Shlømo and Lyon DJ Basswell. On 24th February, Malta’s Glitch festival confirmed that, following an internal review around allegations it had been made aware of, Belgian DJ Odymel would no longer be playing at its 2026 edition.
In each statement, organisers have emphasised that they are in no position to make legal judgements on the matter, and that none of the allegations made have been conclusively verified. Brands have asserted that the safety, trust, and well-being of their communities are a top priority. In its statement, World Club Dome wrote that “our festival is meant to be a space where consent, respect, and equality are actively upheld”.
The allegations have come to light principally via a series of posts by Instagram user @bradnolimit, who claims to be a former agent with the French booking agency, Steer Management. In light of the controversy, Steer Management issued two statements over the weekend, confirming that it had opted to ”suspend our collaborations with the artists involved”, namely Shlømo, Basswell, and Carv. Multiple artists signed to Steer — including DJ Physical, alt8, Lola Cerise, 6EJOU, Creed, William Luck, and others — subsequently announced their departure from the agency in statements shared to Instagram stories. At the time of writing, the Steer Management roster has been wiped from its website, and no further public statement has been provided by the agency.
Having previously dismissed the matter in an Instagram story, Shlømo issued a second statement on Thursday (26th February), claiming the allegations made against him are part of a “sustained defamation and harassment campaign on social media, led by one individual”. He accused @bradnolimit — his former US booker with Steer Management — of “deliberately disseminating false information” with the “clear intent of damaging my reputation, career and personal life”. He later denied all accusations made against him, stating that he “never had a non-consensual relationship. I have never committed sexual abuse against a woman. I have never had a sexual relationship with an underaged woman”.
In a lengthy Instagram post shared on Monday, 23rd February, Odymel outlined an incident in which he claimed to have experienced a case of “sexsomnia” — a rare condition in which individuals engage in sexual acts involuntarily in their asleep — while with a “person [he] had consensual relations with”. He wrote that a preliminary investigation into the matter was ongoing and said he was “truly sorry” for the incident, before stating that he wished to “fully dissociate [himself] from all the problematic and repetitive behaviour that has been consciously committed and denounced in recent days”.
Carv issued a statement admitting to having been “unfaithful” in his marriage, engaging in explicit conversations with several women on social media and sending “intimate images of [himself]”. He claimed that there was “no non-consensual behaviour and no criminal wrongdoing” involved. The DJ has since cancelled all of his forthcoming performances and confirmed the end of his musical project.
Basswell has yet to respond publicly; DJ Mag has approached the DJ’s representatives for comment. You can read all available statements below.
In a video shared on Instagram amidst the mounting allegations in the scene, French-American DJ Fantasm denied any wrongdoing, addressing claims made against him this week, and reported allegations of sexual assault which were made public last year, resulting in performances at Dour Festival and the Kompass Klub in Ghent being cancelled. He said: “In summary, I never use anyone without their consent. All accusations are false. I am not a pedophile and am only here to spread the truth and show passion through my music.”
The situation has ignited widespread condemnation across the techno scene and beyond, and sparked conversations around the culture of silencing and scrutiny that allows abuse of women to continually occur.
In a statement published on Thursday, 25th February, Amelie Lens wrote: “We are tired. The dancefloor is our home and the backstage is our workplace, but neither feels safe for us. Safety has been treated as a ‘women’s problem’ for far too long. We have been forced to become our own security, constantly watching our drinks, watching the doors and developing a silent language.”
Later in the post, she wrote: “If the law won’t help when the evidence is in my hand, how are we supposed to feel safe in a club where the abuse is often silent and invisible? Actual abuse of power is hard to prove in a courtroom, so abusers hide behind lawyers and defamation is always used as a weapon to silence us. These predators in our scene look for the ones they think they can silence.”
Sara Landry also shared a statement on Thursday, in which she said she “strongly and unequivocally condemn[s] any and all forms of abuse, assault, and predatory behaviour” and that she and her team “have been focused on taking real, tangible steps to support and uphold the values of this community”
Other statements shared in support of victims of sexual assault and speaking out against abuses of power have come from DJs including SPFDJ and Joy Hauser.
In a post re-sharing a film project she executive produced which highlighted the realities of sexual harassment in the electronic music industry, Rebekah wrote: “We need to become better bystanders, speak up when we see things, stand up against the abuse of power, raise our voices, adopt zero tolerance policies across the board in all sectors and have official reporting systems in place.
“We can all make a difference in creating a space where abuse becomes more and more difficult to operate in. This won’t happen overnight but a joint effort and vigilance over time is what will make long lasting change.”
A French campaign group comprising electronic music professionals, lawyers, journalists and psychologists operating under the name METOODJS has gained prominence amidst the ongoing controversy. The group aims to act as an “international support and referral network for victims of sexist and sexual violence in electronic music”.
In a press release shared with DJ Mag, the group wrote: “Since its launch, METOODJS has been contacted by nearly 100 victims from numerous countries. These reports concern situations that occurred in various contexts related to electronic music: clubs, festivals, collectives, agencies, labels, and professional or private environments.
“Several legal proceedings are currently underway with specialized lawyers. Victims have been connected with psychologists and professionals trained in sexist and sexual violence (SSV).”
The group, an “independent collective composed primarily of women professionals from the electronic music scene and related fields”, has stated that more professionals are required to facilitate its work, which is currently ongoing alongside lawyers and investigative journalists. “We are convinced that concrete action is what creates lasting change: supporting legal processes, accompanying therapeutic journeys, documenting trauma, and helping victims break out of isolation,” they wrote.
“Our work is exclusively focused on victims. When victims wish to do so, we facilitate contact between them. We acknowledge and honor the courage of all those we speak with. Our initiative is not intended to organize public call-outs or publish boycott lists. No action is taken without the explicit consent of the persons concerned. Ongoing cases follow a strict legal framework.”
You can find out more about METOODJS’ work here.
Update 26/02/2026: This story has been updated to include a more recent statement from Shlømo.
